Washable diapers for infants basically include a folded cloth or other absorbent material positioned between the legs and fastened about the waist to contain and draw moisture away from the infant's skin. Such diapers are typically supported to the infant with safety pins piercing the diaper ends. The pins, however, can inadvertently open and pierce the skin, or possibly be swallowed by the infant. In addition, the use of pins requires fine motor control and good visual coordination and can therefore be only applied with difficulty by handicapped or blind persons.
Other types of fastening means, such as "Velcro" tape having resiliently deformable projections or pressure sensitive adhesive material, have been affixed to washable diapers and tend to avoid some of the problems previously extant with safety pins. Such diapers employing other aforesaid fastening means appear to allow the diaper to "grow" to accommodate infant growth, however, these types of diapers of which I am aware do not appear capable of swaddling newborn infants of approximately eight to eleven pounds, and thereafter of expanding to accommodate larger infants. Accordingly, at least two separate sizes of diapers are typically required.
In washable diapers employing "Velcro" fastening tapes, frequent washing tends to cause excessive lint buildup that tends to deteriorate the adhesive effect of the tape and diaper efficiency. To my knowledge, there is no effective means for removing the lint from the tape to maintain desired adhesive conditions.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved diaper which can be worn by newborn infants and thereafter expand to acommodate infant growth.
A further object is to provide a lint removing device capable of removing lint from adhesive tape carrying resiliently deformable projections to improve diaper efficiency.
Yet another object is to provide a diaper that can easily be applied to infants under poor light conditions, and that is capable of easy application by blind or handicapped persons.
In diapers of which I am aware that accommodate infant growth, positioning of the fastening means allows expansion about only the waist area and does not appear to be capable of longitudinal expansion to accommodate increased infant height or leg growth.
Another object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a new and improved diaper that is capable of expansion to accommodate increased infant height in addition to waist and leg expansion.
Still a further object is to provide a diaper which retains moisture away from the infant's skin.
Still another object is to provide a diaper that is comfortable to the infant and can be secured in a rapid and easy manner.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a diaper and releasably attachable absorbent pad means and fastening means therefor for extra absorbency.
Handicapped adults and children exhibiting poor bladder control must often wear diapers. Such persons can usually change the diaper themselves; however, to my knowledge, there does not appear a diaper capable of fitting adults that includes characteristics allowing for rapid and easy change.
Another object of the invention is to provide a diaper that can be worn by adults or children and easily changed by the wearer.